Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.
Note: This is a one shot when Estel is young and wonders why human have rounded ears and elves have pointy ones. Glorfindel makes an appearance as well.
Lord Elrond of Rivendell looked up when the door creaked softly. The dark haired elf frowned when he could not find the source of the sound. He suppressed a smile and went back to his work.
Finishing and signing the paper with a fluorescing autograph, Elrond stood up to stretch his limbs. He walked to his window to enjoy the afternoon sun on his face. Suddenly the door creaked once more and Elrond turned with a smile.
It died when he found the 5 year old fosterling Estel standing there. The boy had tears streaming down his face and his eyes were puffy and red from crying. The young human sniffled softly and Elrond found his heart aching.
He took brisk steps towards the young child and went down on his knees, not caring for the beautiful formal robe that he wore. "Estel, what is the matter, ion nin? (My son)" He asked, worried for whatever was the reason was that Estel was upset.
Being the only human child in a house full of elves, life had not always been easy for Estel. His father killed and his mother going back to the Dunedan, Elrond and his own sons had done the best they could to protect Estel. But they could not protect Estel from the taunts of the elven children.
"Ada, I want to go away. I do not deserve to live here anymore." The child softly sniffled. Elrond found his breathing catching in his throat as he asked. "Whatever do you mean, my Estel?"
"I mean I should go and live in a human settlement. I am not an elf and that is why I cannot live here anymore." Taking Estel's shoulders in a tight and bruising grip, Elrond asked.
"Where have you gotten that idea, my son? You are my child and you are too young to go and live on your own."
"Some of the children said it and so did the servants." Estel wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. Elrond caught it and held the boy's hand in his own.
His father's eyes were sad as he gentle tousled the boy's unruly dark hair. "They do not know what they speak of, Estel. You are my son…"
"No, I am not! I do not even look like you while Dan and Ro do. Or like any of the other children do when they are with their parents. Ada, they all have pointy ears and I do not." The boy exclaimed loudly. "I am fatherless." Estel then cried out.
Despite the situation Elrond found himself chuckling softly as he pulled Estel towards him and lifted the boy in the air. He then walked out of the room and into his own private room. He settled Estel on the chair in front of the mirror and stood behind the young boy.
Gentle pushing Estel's hair behind his ear, he said. "That is because we are from two different races. The humans all have rounded ears and the elves have pointy ears. This is the way that we are made. But you are still my son even if you have rounded ears and I do not."
"But Ada, why do you have pointy ears then? And why can elves walk on top of the snow? Is it because their ears are bigger so they can fly?" Estel turned to the lord of Rivendell who was slightly surprised at the flood of questions.
A soft chuckle came from the doorway and Elrond turned to find a golden elf doubled over with laughter. Glorfindel grinned as he saw the way his lord looked at him. He walked in and while sinking upon his knees in front of Estel he said. "No, it is because elves are lighter then humans. But even elves have different ears. Like your father here, well he is only a half elf and therefore his ears are not nearly as pointy as mine."
Glorfindel shot a grin up towards Elrond who said. "It does not make that much of a different, Glorfindel."
"But a different it does make, Elrond and that is what matters. Plus Elrond cannot walk on top of the snow either. And his ears are not nearly as sensitive as mine are." Glorfindel lifted Estel in the air and settled the boy upon his hip.
The blond haired elf smiled down at the eyes full of wonder that looked up to meet his own. "Can I…?" The boy stuttered and Glorfindel nodded and with a dramatically gesture he flung his hair back to expose his ears.
Ever so gentle Estel reached up to trace his finger tips over the tip of Glorfindel's ear. The blond elf winked at Elrond as Estel gently fingered the elf's ear. Elrond scrowled at Glorfindel as the Balrog slayer shuddered ever so gentle as Estel traced the gentle curve.
"I do not shudder when you touch my ear." The boy said proudly as he settled comfortably into Glorfindel's embrace. "Yes well you see that is the good thing about human ears. They are not nearly as sensitive as elven ears."
Only Elrond had seen the darkening of the blue eyes as he remembered in nights long past when his wife had shuddered against him whenever he touched her ears. He had forgotten quite how entrancing the ears of the elves could be when used for a specific goal but it was best that Estel did not learn that yet.
"Ada?" The boy's question brought Elrond back out of his reverie and Elrond smiled and accepted Estel from Glorfindel as the boy reached up to brush his fingertips of his father's ear. Suppressing a smile, Elrond finally could not help himself as he found himself laughing helplessly as he moved playfully against the torment Estel had bestowed upon his ears. "Stop tickling me." The normally serious lord of Rivendell finally gasped.
He could hear Estel laughing as well and he could see Glorfindel's smile before he could feel the warrior's hands on his ribcage, tickling mercilessly. He squirmed against his two enemies as he fell apart in hopeless laughter. "Stop please! I surrender." He cried out and finally his tormenters stopped.
They all gasped for air and Elrond hugged Estel close as the boy whispered, his hot breath tickling Elrond's ear again. "I love you, Ada."
The lord of Rivendell did not need to suppress a smile as he said. "I love you as well." And that is how Estel learned that it was good to have human rounded ears instead of sensitive pointy elven ears.
The end
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